“The training is necessary because of the world we live in and the kinds of issues our students face,’’ said Wilson, who travels around the entire county to help students. “We deal with emotional, physical and psychological trauma. You’re always wondering if it’s going to be you or your school next.”
FIRST AID FOR CLOSE PROTECTION
CPOs are thinkers, planners, and problems solvers and are generally expected to pull rabbits from hats at short notice and we regularly do. We are employed to ensure not only the safety and security of the client but also their health and well being.
A Medics Experience
Over the years, with the added involvement of oil and gas companies, alongside government contracts, the role of the medic has evolved from working as a ‘team medic’ into a ‘Tier 2’ medic who carries a comprehensive medical kit & medications, and is able to function as a lone medic often in remote locations. These changes have caused multiple shifts in the industry standard and requirements to become a Tier 2 Medic. This should be a good thing but it also comes with pitfalls.
The perils of looking after other people
Close protection operative has similar motivating forces to the psychotherapist. We are all in the helping professions, making people feel safer and calmer at difficult times in their lives. It’s a satisfying job that usually makes us feel good about ourselves and our abilities to help.
Pink & fluffy? Not at all!
We all have this incredibly sophisticated system and a brain that is constantly being shaped by our experiences. Everyone is unique in their background, skills, experience and beliefs so it’s impossible to get bored when you’re working with people.
Why has this affected me so much?
Treatment for PTSD, the person recognizes which factors played a part in their particular event and this can be very empowering. They can replace their own feelings of shame or weakness with an understanding of the complexities of what happened and this usually helps in their recovery.
Leave no man behind?
“Ultimately, I need to know that whoever I’m working with, if the shit hits the fan and I’m in a situation, that my colleagues are going to be there to watch my back”. The ethos of “Leave no man behind” is a mainstay across Armed Forces and equally relevant to professionals in Close & Executive Protection. If a colleague was injured out in the field, would you turn your back and walk away?
Advice and Treatment for PTSD
For people suffering psychological trauma, often the hardest part is overcoming the fear of accessing help. Even though it has been shown that there are effective treatments, even for PTSD, the ‘pink and fluffy counsellor’ or the drug-dispensing medical “shrink” stereotypes will prevent many people from ever getting advice and treatment for PTSD.
What Doesn’t Kill You…
Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) describes the range of positive changes experienced by people as a result of their struggle with a severe life challenge or a traumatic event.
Workplace Violence
Workplace violence has quickly become a growing concern for employees across America with as many as two million workers report having experienced workplace violence each year according to BLS within their Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. With statistics like that it’s pretty obvious there is a shortfall in the system. Specific workplace training is one way which we can begin to address the problem.